Countryballs: The Animated Series
Countryballs: The Series, more commonly known as Countryballs, is a American-Canadian-Swiss-British-German-Helvish-El Kadsreian satricial animated series that first aired on September 29th, 2016. It is created by Canadian animator Scott Fellows, when American animator Chris Savino took the occupation. Canadian animation studio Atomic Cartoons led the production of the series, which was broadcast initially on Helvmark Animation. Due to the international nature of the series, it has attracted attention and efforts from people of other nationalities over the past years. Countryballs is based on the Internet meme of the same name, in which countries of Earth are shown to be comical personas and communicate using imperfect English (excluding Anglophone countries or personas). As with the countryball comics, the series tends to poke fun at various aspects of countries such as historical events and leadership. This has the potential to lead to criticism from the audience, as seen in several cases since the first airing in 2016. Countryballs has been applauded by some notable viewers, while others expressed dismay. The satricial approach to sensitive topics have been one of the most debated subjects regarding the series. Development and production The first countryball comics were created in 2009, and within a few years it had become a well-known meme to Internet users within and beyond Pavonistade. Canadian animator Bob Davies, employed in Atomic Cartoons, planned for an animated countryball series in early 2013. While Davies is not the first person to suggest development of a series based on countryballs, he was the first to receive approval of such a series. Atomic Cartoons approved of the proposal, but initially it failed to locate a company to which the series will be produced for. Jones had pitched the idea to the UniView Corporation, which accepted the series proposal contrary to Jones's beliefs. Development of Countryballs commenced in March 2011. Intending for the series to cover topics of other nations, AniMotion gathered producers of non-El Kadsreian backgrounds so as to achieve the intention. The series is assembled mostly in studios that are located in El Kadsre City. English is used as the lingua franca for all involved characters, although non-Anglophone personas are to speak broken English as consistent with the countryball comics. The idea to provide each persona with a different font(for subtitles) was developed months before the first airing. Due to several setbacks such as financial problems, the development and airing of Countryballs were postponed several times. Following the delays, the series continued in smoother production and it was first broadcast on international aired in September 29th, 2016. As expected by Jones and involved companies, Countryballs garnered both acclaim and condemnation. Characters and voice actors Within Countryballs, the personas never refer to each other using "countryball" such as "El Kadsreball" for example, and such naming is reserved for the audience and viewers. Some of the personas also take their forms as non-spherical shapes such as cubes, and some countryballs of historical origins may make an appearance. The representation of provinces, states, subnational territories, supranational organizations, etc. are seen in the series. It is important to note that while some such representations appear in the logos of Countryballs, they do not truly show up in the series (an example being USAball) Some voice actors were actors from the Bionicle franchise, voice actors for Canadian, American, British and El Kadsreian, while some are YouTubers. The list voice actors of Countryballs: The Animated Series. * Jeff Benett as 1ball * Travis Willingham as 2ball * James Williams as 3ball * Stan Lewis as 4ball * Kirk Jonhson as 5ball * Kira Buckland as 7ball * Lee Eddy as 8ball * Grey DeLisle as Alandball * Jamie Marchi as Alaskaball * Michael Jones as Albainaball * Steven Yuen as Algeriaball * Lance Stewart as Antarcticaball * Alex Mantle as Argentinaball * Darran Norris as Austriaball * Thomas Ridgewell as Australiaball * Todd Haberkorn as Azerbaijanball * Bree Hearn as Bangladeshball * Chermai Leigh as Belarusball * Chris Nielsen as Belgiumball * Seth Green as Bosniaball * Adam McArthur as Brazilball * Dee Bradley Baker as Bulgariaball * Ian Andrew Hecox as Californiaball * Samuel Vincent as Canadaball * Matt Hill as Chileball * Bryce Papenbrook as Chinaball * Megan Fahlenbock as Christmas Islandball * Ben Schwartz as Cook Islandsball * Lauren Tom as Crimeaball * Matthew Fredrick as Croatiaball * Roman Atwood as Cubaball * Sean Chiplock as Cyprusball * Sophia De Leo as Cyrumulandball * Keith Sliverstein as Czechiaball * Lee Tockar as Denmarkball * Evan Fong as Dominican Republicball * Jesse Ridgway as Egyptball * Andy Wilson as El Kadsreball * Josh Keaton as Englandball * Erin Fitzgerald as Estoniaball * Stephanie Anne Mills as EUball * Maurice LaMarche as Faore Islandsball * Wendee Lee as Fijiball * Ian Sinclair as Finlandball * Danny Smith as Franceball * Bimon Saker as Germanyball * Cree Summer as Ghanaball * Pearce Joza as Gibaraltarball * Kathleen Barr as Greeceball * Adam Montoya as Greenlandball * Vasia Kabba as Guernesyball * Liliana Mumy as Hawaiiball * Fred Valzia as Helvmarkball * Ben Diskin as Hong Kongball * Michael Jones as Hungaryball * Joel McDonald as Icelandball * Jordan Maron as Indiaball * Brian Geyman as Indonesiaball * Matthew Patrick as Iranball * Tony Sampson as Iraqball * Sean William McLoughlin as Irelandball * Neil Crone as Isle of Manball * Jason Rose as Israelcube * Marcel Casey as Italyball * Ed Skudder as Jamaicaball * Bryn McAuley as Japanball * Greg Cipes as Jerseryball * Dick Harris as Jordanball * Jenna Warren as Kenyaball * Adam Arama Arbuthnott as Kosovoball * Doron Bell as Latviaball * Sarah Anne Williams as Libyaball * Julie Lemieux as Liecthensteinball * Lyon Smith as Lithuaniaball * Richard Cox as Luxembourgball * Jennifer Hale as Macedoniaball * Logan Paul as Madagascarball * Denise Oliver as Mahriball * Samantha Ireland as Malaysiaball * Joey Graceffa as Maliball * Bart Batchelor as Mexicoball * Zihan Wang as Minecraftiaball * Andrea Libman as Moldovaball * Rob Paulsen as Monacoball * Bree Hearn as Montenegroball * Thomas Sanders as Moroccoball * Nicola Foti as Mozambiqueball * Sergio Di Zio as Netherlandsball * Haruka Shimizu as NepalRawr * Jedidiah Cudby as New Zealandball * Susan Roman as Nigeraball * Kayla Edwards as Niueball * Jermey Shada as Northern Irelandball * Perry Gray as North El Kadsreball * Joshua Tomar as North Koreaball * James Edwards as Norwayball * Matt Haag as Omanball * Amanda Kay as Pakistanball * Binndy Coda as Papua New Guineaball * Izoi Akidah as Peruball * Stephaine Morgenstern as Philippinesball * John Lollies as Polandball * Harrison Lu as Portgualball * Kyo Saeba Moutinho as Puerto Ricoball * Jesse Michael Wellens as Qatarball * Jessica DiCicco as Romaniaball * Zach King as Russiaball * Ted Brown as Samonaball * Ynriko Flores as Saudi Arabiaball * Mark Edward Fischbach as Sentanball * Scotty Sire as Serbiaball * Johnny Rose as Scotlandball * Jillian Michaels as Sloveniaball * Terry McGurrin as Slovakiaball * Lindsay Jones as South Africaball * Johnny Yong Bosch as South Koreaball * Shay Carl Butler as South Sudanball * Andrew Francis as Spainball * Rachel Wilson as Sri Lankaball * Sam A. Webster as Sudanball * Kevin Michael Robertson as Swedenball * Ben Tuller as Switzerlandball * Moeri Obara as Taiwanball * Chrisitan Potenza as Texasball * Tabhita St. Germain as Thailandball * Eric Medina as Tokelau * Annemairie Blanco as Tringapore * Grant George as Turkeyball * Ewout Dinges as UAEball * Ian James Corlett as UKball * Brock Baker as USAball * Craig Simmons as Ukraineball * Peter Oldring as Vacatianball * Antanico Matsushita as Vicnoraball * Stacey DePass as Vietnamball * Rhys Darby as Walesball * Kamia Pere as Yemenball * Jess Gibsons as Zimbabweball Episodes Countryballs has several notable episodes that attained their statuses. Three reasons may be attributed as explanations: one, the topics in which they possess; two, the random nature of the episodes; and three, the occasional departure from reality. Global events, national news, and local news are examples that have been used in Countryballs episodes, , regardless of the date, while some of the episodes tells stories about the historical events. WW1, WW2, Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, US Civil War, and numerous general elections are subjects that made appearances in the series. Their comical portrayal had led to both acclaim and anger among audiences. Random natures are a factor in two kinds of episodes, once in every season for each kind starting from Season 2. The first kind is the "Grand Rounds" episode, which involve randomized conflicts between countries and conclude with a conflict fought by remnants (always superstates). This can lead to countries such as "State of the Vicnora." The second variant is the "Single Stand" episode, in which a countryball possessing extreme combat skills battle against all other countryballs on the quest for global domination. Some of the episodes had differences from what occurred or existed in reality. While anachronistic technologies and equipment are well-known samples, other samples have included historical inaccuracies (either deliberate or unintentional) and implausible proportions, such as expanding a small persona's size to be much greater than those of others. International broadcasters North America South America Europe Asia Africa Oceania Category:TV shows Category:2016 Category:TV shows featuring anthropomorphic characters